Switch-rod.



o 0 mw B n U I; e t n nu t a DI .m l 9 T w nnnms, E0... VRP I.- A Annd Umm .In Ewm .Sm T N. P w

(No Nudel.)

NTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS E. CALVERT, OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR TO THE AJAX FORGE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SWITCH-ROD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 651,413, dated June 12, 1900.

Application filed April 5, 1899. Serial No. '711,354n (No model.) i

.To all wl-wm, t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. CALVERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Rods, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in switch-rods designed for adjustably connecting switch-rails, so that the proper position of the latter with reference to the permanent rails may be always assured, while at the same time provision is made for taking up wear between the parts and compensating for variations in the positions of the movable parts of the switch.

This invention hasamong its objects the dispensing with screw-threads, screw-bolts, turnbuckles, and the like, such as have heretofore been universally employed in devices of this class, without sacrificing any of the advantages of such prior constructions, the production of a switch-rod of simple and economical structure that shall be strong, durable, and free from devices liable to early deterioration and at the same time protected from unwarranted tampering, and to have the switch-rod capable of ready adjustment and of beinglocked in any adjusted position as against accidentalmovementordisarrangement due to the jar of passing trains or strain upon the parts. Theseand such other objects as may hereinafter appear are attained by the devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of a switch-rod embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a sectional plan view thereof. Fig. 3 represents an inverted plan View of a Spanner or key for adjusting the switch, and Fig. 4L represents a perspective view of the eccentric in an inverted position.

Similar letters of reference indicate lthe same parts in the several figures of the drawings.

My invention, broadly stated, consists of i an adjustable pivot connection between the rod pivotally connected with chairs which are rigidly secured to the switch-rails, an adjustable eccentric or cam being interposed between t`ne rod and chairs, so that the chairs may be independently adjusted toward and away from each other, so as to not only vary the distance between the switch-rails, but also, when desired, adjust the position of the switch-rails with reference to thepermanent rails. This particular embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- A indicates the switch-rod; B, the chairs; C, ears upon the switch-rod extending parallel therewith, so as to form jaws; D, pivotbolts between t-he chairs and rod, and E eccentrics working in enlarged openings in the chairs surrounding the pivot'- bolt and between the jaw formed by the switch-rod and the ears C thereon.

Any means may be employed for rendering the eccentric non-rotatable about the axis of the pivot-bolt-that is to say, for locking the eccentric in any adjusted radial position with relation to the axis of the pivot-bolt. In the drawings I have shown the eccentric as provided with a peripherally-notched circular extension F above the same which works in a circular opening formed in the ear C and is disposed concentrically with the bolt B. The notches Gin said extension taperslightly, as do preferably the walls of the' opening in the ear C, to receive and hold the tapering pin H, which-finds half of its seat in the semicircular notches E in the periphery of the ex tension F and the other half of its seat in a complementary semicircnlar notch at one side of the opening in the ear C. Displacement of this pin is prevented by means of a washer I, held in place by a nut J on the end ofthe pivot-bolt D, which washer is provided withy able projection K upon the pin H. The lug ICO removed and then the piu H, which leaves the eccentric, with its extension F, free to revolve, and as the extension works in a circular recess concentric with the bolt D rotation thereof will cause the eccentric to correspondingly rotate about the axis ot the bolt, and thus adjust the position of the chair B with relation to the switch-rod. This rotation of the eccentlic maybe accomplished by lifting the same sufficiently to turn the extension with the lingers, so as to bring one or the other of the notches G therein in register with the notch in the edge of the opening in the ear @according to the desired adjustment.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated a simple tool provided with lugs L thereon adapted and arranged to fit in corresponding notches at the opposite sides of the extension F, which tool corresponds to a spanner and enables the ready rotation of the extension in its seat and adjustment of the cam. This device is useful in preventing unwarranted tampering with the switch-rod adjustments, because without the use of it or some equivalent tool it is quite diilicult to adjust the parts. Then the proper adjustment has been made, the pin II is dropped back into position and the washer I and nut J restored, so as to secure the parts firmly in position. An obvious modification of this means ot' locking and adjusting the eccentric and one so simple as to not require illustration herein is to have the bolt D at the part where it passes through the rod A or the ear C and the cam polygonal in cross-section, so that the bolt will be in non-rotative engagement With the rod or ear, while the cam will be in non-rotative en gagement with the bolt. Such construction would dispense with the extension F and also thepin and washer. It is also obvious that the extension F may be formed upon a common axis with the eccentric and anysuitable means provided for preventing rotation of the eccentric about the axis of the pivot-boltsuch,for instance,as by the engagement therewith or with the extension thereon of a suit-` able device upon the chair. In all such constructions it will be noted that whenever the position of the eccentric is changed there must be a corresponding change in the relative positions of the chair and switch-rod both laterally and longitudinally, and when this is borne in mind any one skilled in this art will readily provide means for preventing rotation of the eccentric about the axis of the pivot-bolt, or vice versa, and which shall yet provide ready means for adjusting the eccentric to any desired position. In effect the constructions which I have herein illustrated and described afford an adjustable or movable pivot connection between the switch-rod and the chair, or, more remotely, between the switch-rod and the switch-rail, which feature I consider the broad idea of :my invention however it may be embodied in detailed construction.

As usual with devices of this class the switch-rod will be provided with two jaws and two chairs, one for each ot the switch-rails; but by my construction either rail may be adjusted with relation to the rod independent of lthe other rail, so that the switch-rails may not only be independently adjusted with relation to each other, but also with relation to the permanent rails.

Having thus fullydescribed my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination with a switch-rail,of an adjustable switch-rod comprising a rod having an ear thereon extending parallel there* with to form a jaw, a chair fitting in said jaw and secured to said rail, a pivot-bolt passing through said rod and.,cl1ai1,an eccentric working in an opening in said chair and through which the bolt passes, and means for adjusting said eccentric and locking the same in any adjusted position, said eccentric being supported by said ear, sul'istantially as described.

2. The combination with a switclrrail, of an adjustable switch-rod comprising a rod having an ear thereon extending parallel therewith to form a jaw7 a chair :fitting in said jaw and seeurcdto said rail, a pivot-bolt passing through said rod and chair, an eccentric working in an opening in said chair and through which said bolt passes, a peripherally-notched extension on said eccentric working in an opening in said ear, and a pin for engaging one of the notches in said extension and locking the same and the eccentric in any adjusted position, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a switch-rail, of an adjustable switch-rod comprising a rod provided with an car to form a jaw, a pivotbolt passing through said rod, said ear being IOO provided with a circular opening therein concentric to said bolt and having a notch on one side thereof, a chair secured to said rail and provided with a circular opening therein, an eccentric working in said opening and through which the pivotbolt passes, an extension on said eccentric working in the ear and provided with peripheral notches and a pin adapted to seat in one ot' said notches in the extension when the same registers with the notch in the ear, substantially as described.

THOMAS E. CALVER'I.

Witnesses:

WM. 13. KIRBY, C, L. Woon.

TIO 

